Antiseptic telephone-mouthpiece.



No. 706,l69. Patented Aug. 5, 1902. W; M. ENGLISH & G A. BURNS. ANTISEP'IIIG TELEPHONE MOUTHPIECE.

(Application filed Oct. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNIIn STATES \VILLIAM M. ENGLISH AND GEORGE A. BURNS, OF SAN FRANCISCO ATENT OFFICE.

CALIFORNIA.

ANTISEPTIC TELEPHONE-MOUTHPIECE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,169, dated August 5, 1902.

Application filed October 28, 1901. Serial No. 80,209. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom. it Int/,1 concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM M. ENGLISH and GEORGE A. BURNS, citizens of the United States, residingin the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Antiseptic Telephone- Mouthpieces; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to a means for protecting and cleansing telephone or other mouthpieces from foul or contagious diseases which may be transmitted from the use of telephones by many different people.

It consists of a mouthpiece made with double concentric sides, with an interspace between them, and holes made through the inner portion communicating with the interior of the mouthpiece. Connected with this interspace is a receptacle containing any antiseptic or sterilizing material which will vaporize and fill the interspace between the double sides of the mouthpiece and be discharged through the holes in the filling of the mouthpiece.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the figure is a sectional elevation of our appa ratus.

The mouthpiece consists of an inner funnel-shaped structure Aand an outer similarshaped one, B, both being made of hard rubber or other suitable or well-known material for the purpose and being essentially concentric with an interspace between them, as 2, this space surrounding the inner portion A between it and the outer one. The device thus constructed has formed upon the inner end a screw-tl1read or other attachment, as shown at 3, by which it may be connected in the usual manner with the telephone-transmitter. Through the part A are made a series of holes, as 4, connecting with the interspace 2 at one side or at the bottom and in any suitable position relative to the mouthpiece, and preferably at the lowest point is an opening, as at 5, and with this opening a receptacle 6 is connected, either by screw or otherwise interlocking it, so that when the receptacle is connected its mouth opens directly into the annular chamber 2.

The operation of the device will then be as follows: The receptacle 6 being filled with some suitable antiseptic or deodorizing substance, which is easily vaporized, its mouth being open is connected with the opening 5, and the vapor or gas arising from the material contained Within the receptacle 6 will pervade the channel or space 2 between the parts A and B of the mouthpiece and entirely surround the inner part. The vapor passing through the numerous holes in this inner portion will act to sterilize and destroy any products which may be disposed within the mouthpiece from the breath of the persons usingit, so that the danger arising from subsequent use of a mouthpiece will be avoided. The receptacle 6 can be recharged at any required interval.

"Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A telephone-mouthpiece consisting of an outer and inner shell having an intervening unfilled and unobstructed space, openings from said space through the inner shell, and means for discharging an antiseptic or sterilizing substance through said openings so that it may freely circulate throughout said space. a

2. A telephone-mouthpiece consisting of outer and inner concentric shells with an intervening unfilled and unobstructed space, a means for attaching the device to a transmitter, openings made through the interior shell connecting it with the interspace between the two, a receiving-opening formed in the outer shell, and a receptacle containing a sterilizing substance and connecting with substantially the lowest point of the space whereby the vapors enter the space and freely circulate therethrough and through the openings in the inner shell.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM M. ENeLIsI-I. GEORGE A. BURNS.

Witnesses:

R. B. TREAT, CARMEN BRADFORD. 

